The idea of a capital as we know it did not exist in the middle ages. There were no cities, only grads, and the nation was the property of the prince, who would choose a grad as his seat while staying in a particular region. The ruler did not dwell in one grad and often changed abodes. The "capital" was wherever he happened to be staying. A leader in those days could therefore be termed a dux peregrinans (wandering leader). His prerogatives included exercising judicial authority and settling disputes. He therefore went out to meet his subjects, i.e. he came to them. The necessity of rotating the place of residence of the prince and his large court was also highly significant in that the responsibility of maintaining this large entourage fell upon the host. It would have placed an onerous burden on the regular inhabitants had the prince chosen to spend an extended stay in one grad.

During the reigns of Mieszko I and Bolesław Chrobry, the strongest grads were in Gniezno, Poznań and Giecz. The significance of the base on Ostrów Lednicki was more symbolic and cultic than military and defensive. Poznań has been a bishopric since 968. Mieszko I was interred here in 992. Bolesław Chrobry, however, placed the relics of St. Wojciech in the church in Gniezno where, once an archbishopric had been established, royal coronations were held until 1300. Bolesław Chrobry, on the other hand, was interred in Poznań Cathedral like his father. So, there were no constant, immutable rules here. Most importantly, there were no criteria to determine the capital status of a given grad in the sense that the term "capital" is understood today.